


Dave vs Kayleigh

by LazySundayMusings



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 12:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17560301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazySundayMusings/pseuds/LazySundayMusings
Summary: “Yeah, sometimes they move us around.  I’ve been at three different stores.  I like where I am now.”That is Kayleigh’s summary of her work experience with the company.  How did she come to be working in this store, and why does Dave Thompson have such a low opinion of her?Set about one year before Series 1.





	Dave vs Kayleigh

It was 4:15 in the pub. Dave Thompson had been there for nearly an hour, chatting with some of the other store managers who had been at a status meeting in the Area office. The meeting hadn’t painted a bright picture of the company’s future, and there were some grim faces around the table. The conversation hadn’t moved on from the state of the business.

Simon Matthews turned to Dave. “You haven’t said much. What do you think?”  
“About what?”  
“The mandatory Area policy of rotating promotions staff around the different stores.”  
“Waste of time. Always has been. They do exactly the same job but in a different place, with the same products, in the same way that everyone else is doing it. The only thing different is the faces of the customers. And they’re just the same sheep as everywhere else, all trying to take as many free samples as they can. When they’re not shoplifting, mind.”

The Warrington manager spoke. “Yeah, well - rotation will keep happening as long as the company sees the short bursts of extra sales each time the new teams come together.”

Dave sniffed. “If the company was serious about extra sales, the first thing they’d do is shell out some real money and get think-tanks and ad companies involved and do it properly, not like the half-arsed efforts that are getting us nowhere. Then they’d get serious about throwing out some of the dead wood in Area and Head Office, freeing up positions so new people with different ideas can get to a level where they can have an impact.”

“Well, obviously Dave, but that would mean they would have to shell out some real money, which is hard to come by at the moment. Plus, the dregs in Area and Head Office aren’t going to get their marching orders as long as their mates have their back, are they? No. So we’re stuck with inadequate budgets and the vague hope that mixing up the promotions teams will be a cheap way of coming up with new ideas.”

Dave continued. “I still don’t see the point of having promotions teams in the stores at all. Seems to me that the company should just get the suppliers to come up with their own promotional shit, we set it up on display stands by the new products, all in plain view - and be done with it. Means a few less people on the payroll. We wouldn’t have to pay anyone to dress up like rabbits and wine bottles and whatever else. It’s bloody childish.”  
This met with murmurs of agreement.

With the subject effectively dealt with, the group slowly started to disperse.

Simon spoke again. “How’s the health, Dave?”  
Dave nodded. “Yeah, I’m doing all right. Doctor keeps at me to take it easy, Alison keeps on at me, but I’ve got it covered. I’m in for most of the day but I pass the dull shit to Redmond to take care of. That way I can just take it easy and focus on interesting stuff that I actually want to do.”  
“Is Redmond looking to make a name for himself, maybe?”  
“Maybe as an admin clerk, nothing more. As long as he keeps getting through all my crap work, I’m happy.”  
“Aren’t you worried he’ll be snapped up by Area or get his own store?”  
Dave scoffed. “No chance. Area has enough admin-robots as it is. And right now he’s just doing his job, isn’t interested in putting himself forward for anything more. He does do some extra hours some weekends, getting some extra money for something or other, but that’s about it. There’s no way he’ll get a store. When Warrington was first looking for a replacement manager they had us ask around to see who might be interested but he just said... his exact words were “I don’t care” then went back to whatever I’d dumped on him that morning. No wonder he hasn’t been considered for anything since then.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be mentoring him?”  
“There’s no point - he’s not interested. He just wants to come in, do what he’s been given then go home. And he does get it all done.” Dave paused. “He does have a good attitude towards getting the work done. I will give him that.”  
“So, how do you get on when he’s away, then?”  
“Fine. Seriously - no problem at all. HR made him take a week off about a month ago, and Ian Hardy took it all on. He wasn’t quite as quick, or thorough, but you expect that. Hardy didn’t half whine about some of it, but like I told him - become store manager and you’ll never have to do it at all. Worked for me.”

Simon thought for a moment. “I thought Redmond got married a while back. Wouldn’t he want to get ahead, impress the missus and all that?”  
“Nope. Seems she saw the light and pissed off before it got too far. Can’t say I blame her - beats me what she ever saw in him in the first place.”  
Simon arched his eyebrows.  
Dave frowned. “Don’t look at me like that. Hell - I’m nothing special, but I’m married and I’m still getting it regular. What’s he ever gotten, apart from... dumped? And fatter?”  
Simon was now leaning back with his arms folded.  
Dave scratched his chin. “Look. Seems he’s basically given up on all that, so all he has is his job which he’s good at. He comes in, get it done and goes home. I would love to have a store full of staff like that, all focussed on the job, not distracted by anything. In some ways that boring bastard is almost the ideal employee.”

******************************

Over the next month the rotation took place, with about one third of the promotions staff in the area moved to different stores. Most were volunteers. Some weren’t given a choice.  
Ten days after the last transfers had taken place, Dave called the Stockport store manager.

“Good morning. Ray Casey speaking.”  
“Dave Thompson here. Have you sold me a pup?”  
“Eh? What do you mean, Dave?”  
“Those two promotions girls you sent our way. O’Leary and Kitson.”  
“What about them?”  
“They’re a couple of gossiping airheads who seem to be focussed on poking their noses into everyone’s business.”  
“What? Are you saying they’re not doing their jobs?”  
“No - they’re doing their jobs as well as anyone but I hoped they’d be more about the job and less about staff in other teams. They want to get all pally with everyone in promotions? Fine, good, happy with that. But I don’t see any need to have them wandering around and chatting to people in non-foods and the deli and wherever.”  
“Look, they’re like anyone else in a new place, just finding their feet. They’re both good workers, they’re both current on checkouts for when things get really busy, and they’ll both dress up like toilet rolls if they have to. What more could you want?”  
“Hmmm. What I want, is to know why you let two of your good workers go. There must be some reason. Did you run a ballot or something?”  
“Ah, no. The wife told me to.”  
“Eh?”  
“Her exact words were, “No more fun-time for you unless you lose those skinny bitches,” and that was that.”  
Dave laughed. “Serves you right for marrying one of your staff.”  
“So did you.”  
“Yeah, but Ali’s not working at the store any more. Unlike your Sandra.”  
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

“Anyway. These two then. How’d it go when you told them they were being moved to my place?”  
“They were fine with it. Less travelling time for both of them, I think.”  
“Right. Anything I should know, now that it’s too late to throw them back?”  
“Well, O’Leary is pregnant. Coming up for three months.”  
“I know, she’s planning to keep working until November. What about Kitson?”  
“Um...”  
“Yes?”  
“Well... she has quite a few ideas about how the store should be run, and... let’s just say, she must have run out of old, frail relatives by now.”  
“Oh great... another one. I’ll remember that.” Dave frowned. “The problem with promotions-staff is that there’s often not enough actual work to keep them busy-busy, so they get bored and bunk off. I still think we should just get rid of the lot of them, stick with putting the products on stands and be done with it.”  
“Do you ever wonder if we should just go old-school, bring in some dolly-birds and put some flesh on display, just to see if it would work or not?”  
“No - those days are gone. My main problem with dollies showing skin isn’t the complaints. Not really. It’s just that I’m against the idea of anything that has mobs of customers just standing around. What I want is for customers to come in, get what they want, give us their money and then get the hell out again. Customers standing around looking at adults dressed in bikinis or tomato costumes doesn’t do anything for the bottom line.”  
“Yeah, yeah - I can see that. Oh, hang on a sec.”  
A nameless on-hold tune came through the earpiece for ten seconds before Ray spoke again. “Sorry about that - the distributor-reps have just arrived so I’ve gotta go. Send me an email if you want to know anything else, yeah? Hey - those two will be fine once they settle in. Get ‘em busy and watch them go. They’ll be great. See ya.”  
“Bye Ray.”

Dave put the receiver down and groaned.


End file.
